Introducing my MICRO-MINI

[micromini]

There a few unique corns I'm interested in distilling, in no particular order:

1. Hickory King
2. Bloody Butcher
3. Oaxacan Green Dent
4. Otto File Flint
5. Black Waxy
6. Double Red Sweet
7. Blue Clarage (Ohio Blue Dent)
8. Peruvian Morado
9. Jimmy Red
10. Floriani Red Flint

The primary reason I am looking into these is they contain complex compounds that while volatile CAN and DO transfer over to distilled spirits. I'm interested in talking to anyone that has experience distilling any of these varieties. I know the distillery in South Carolina that uses exclusively Jimmy Red.

These various compounds create nuances in the final spirit. Since I have such a micro-mini still - I can afford to play around with seed intended for planting - that can then be malted. In order to halt the malting I'd like to use the basic techniques in scotch...smoke the grain, dry out the taproot, cease development while having triggered enzyme release, while also slowly releasing sugars without getting so hot they begin to caramelize.

I tend to be a VERY technical person that over focuses on things others say are insignificant. Maybe they are right. But I really can't know until I try it myself.

-MicroMini

[tjsc5f]

I haven't distilled any of those corn's but I was just at a small distillery in MO that does bloody butcher and blue hopi. Big difference in flavor between the 2, and both very different from standard corn.
They ferment on grain and distill on grain. Mash in their still pot with enzymes (they don't use any malted grains). Their still has a 6 plate column - the guy said they pull hearts at 140 proof, I asked how they managed to pull off that low with 6 plates but he wasn't able to give me an answer. I assume it's some combination of low reflux and maybe bypassing some of the plates.

[micromini]

I know there is a PC Sutton recipe that circulates from the book "Me And My Likker" -

25lbs coarse ground white corn meal - idea is to have half the volume of the container filled with corn meal, whatever that actually is.

50lbs of sugar - again, the idea, is actually to have 1lb of sugar per gallon of water.

1 gallon of any malted grain - obviously, for the enzymes.

I've thought about this a bit and given my scale, I'd like to try it.

I keep reading, a low abv wine distills with more flavor than a high abv wine - I guess the idea is one tastes more like yeast by product and one tastes more like the actual ingredients. I suppose this is why YEAST is so important. I really WOULD like to do a second fermentation. Example!!!!! Of what I'm thinking. Not like at my scale I have to protect any potential industry secrets...LOL!

I think what I was asked to review by a member and to learn, was that a typical all grain mash is generally going to end up in the 6-8% potential abv range, without the addition of outside sugars to aid the fermentation. When I said I wanted to avoid adding sugar, it's because my idea was to use high quality fruit concentrates.

https://colomafrozen.com/shop/industrial-products

I'd like to use different wine yeasts, depending on the fruits involved and the flavor profile created by the yeast. Cold ferment (under 60 degrees F) to a fruit wine to increase ester production.

I plan to prep each thumper with .25 gallons of fruit wine after the stripping run.

So I'm thinking a rendition of a classic at my scale:

3lb white coarse ground corn meal
6lb sugar
1lb malted barley
6 gallons water

Estimated potential sugar - 3,648g
Brix - 13.84
ABV% - 7.61

Just planning and thinking...


-MicroMini

[micromini]

So I picked up some ingredients today
60lbs of sugar
8lbs blue corn meal
40lbs white corn meal
20lbs jasmine rice
7lbs whole rolled oats

Will be picking up 100lbs of barley and 200lbs of sweet potatoes. As soon as that is accomplished, I'll get started on my first sugar wash ferment. I need to order some various yeast strains as well. I need to pick up some quality yeast nutrients. I need to get some enzymes.

I ordered a couple 2" butterfly valves and a couple 2" sight glasses - and a bunch of extra EPDM gaskets. The sight glass will hold 9oz of material to charge the thumper after the heads have passed through.


-MicroMini

[acfixer69]

So I picked up some ingredients today
60lbs of sugar
8lbs blue corn meal
40lbs white corn meal
20lbs jasmine rice
7lbs whole rolled oats

Will be picking up 100lbs of barley and 200lbs of sweet potatoes. As soon as that is accomplished, I'll get started on my first sugar wash ferment. I need to order some various yeast strains as well. I need to pick up some quality yeast nutrients. I need to get some enzymes.

I ordered a couple 2" butterfly valves and a couple 2" sight glasses - and a bunch of extra EPDM gaskets. The sight glass will hold 9oz of material to charge the thumper after the heads have passed through.


-MicroMini

Time to put this one to bed. Off topic many times. Start new topics or join in on existing.